September heat good for German 2005 vintage

9th September 2005, 0 comments

9 September 2005, ESSENHEIM, GERMANY - A bout of late summer heat bodes well for the German 2005 vintage, the German Wine Institute (DWI) said Friday as the first wave of harvesting began on vines that will be repeatedly picked over till December.

9 September 2005

ESSENHEIM, GERMANY - A bout of late summer heat bodes well for the German 2005 vintage, the German Wine Institute (DWI) said Friday as the first wave of harvesting began on vines that will be repeatedly picked over till December.

Goering said the hot weather that followed midsummer rain had accelerated ripening which was now "10 days ahead of average" and the hope was that there would be no cold snaps or long periods of rain in the next eight to ten weeks.

A long maturation phase would be especially beneficial for Germany's prized Riesling white-wine grapes.

He said the prediction applied to all 13 of Germany's appellations or registered wine-growing districts.

Germany has had four vintages in a row of good to very good quality, with a heatwave bringing unusually low acidity and high alcohol levels to 2003 wines and a golden October in 2004 creating wines of high flavour.

Germany's quality Rieslings have been increasing their worldwide sales in recent years.

"We can sell everything we bottle," commented Andreas Wagner, 31, one of Germany's many winemakers who have reduced their harvest to concentrate on better quality.